The bench to community initiative: community-based participatory research model for translating research discoveries into community solutions

Abstract

Community-based participatory research (CBPR) is an effective methodology for translating research findings from academia to community interventions. The Bench to Community Initiative (BCI), a CBPR program, builds on prior research to engage stakeholders across multiple disciplines with the goal of disseminating interventions to reduce breast cancer disparities and improve quality of life of Black communities.

Methods: The BCI program was established to understand sociocultural determinants of personal care product use, evaluate the biological impact of endocrine disrupting chemicals, and develop community interventions. The three pillars of the program include research, outreach and engagement as well as advocacy activities. The research pillar of the BCI includes development of multidisciplinary partnerships to understand the sociocultural and biological determinants of harmful chemical (e.g., endocrine disrupting chemicals) exposures from personal care products and to implement community interventions. The outreach and engagement pillar includes education and translation of research into behavioral practice. The research conducted through the initiative provides the foundation for advocacy engagement with applicable community-based organizations. Essential to the mission of the BCI is the participation of community members and trainees from underrepresented backgrounds who are affected by breast cancer disparities.

Results: Two behavioral interventions will be developed building on prior research on environmental exposures with the focus on personal care products including findings from the BCI. In person and virtual education activities include tabling at community events with do-it-yourself product demonstrations, Salon Conversations-a virtual platform used to bring awareness, education, and pilot behavior change interventions, biennial symposiums, and social media engagement. BCI's community advisory board members support activities across the three pillars, while trainees participate in personal and professional activities that enhance their skills in research translation.

Discussion: This paper highlights the three pillars of the BCI, lessons learned, testimonies from community advisory board members and trainees on the impact of the initiative, as well as BCI's mission driven approaches to achieving health equity.

Keywords: behavioral interventions; black people; breast cancer; community-based participatory research (CBPR); endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDC); implementation and dissemination science.

Figure 1

Historical timeline of the Bench to Community Initiative (BCI). The Cost of Beauty Project (2013) is the foundation for the inception of BCI, and feedback on the collaborative findings disseminated throughout the community has inspired the advancements of BCI present day (2024).

Figure 2

The Bench to Community Initiative (BCI) trainees share testimonies on the impact of the initiative. BCI provides opportunities for researchers of color at all academic levels (i.e., undergraduate, and graduate students as well as postdoctoral fellows). BCI trainee quotes were transcribed from our 2022 BCI Symposium video and include reflections from Dorothy Galloway (top), Dr. Jazma Tapia (middle left), Jared Bailey (middle right), and Jessica Vinegar (bottom).

Figure 3

The Bench to Community Initiative (BCI) Community Advisory Board Members (CAB) share testimonies on joining the initiative and BCI’s impact on the community. Community stakeholders positioned on the BCI CAB shared common themes on why they joined the initiative in video format during BCI’s 2022 Community Symposium. Reflections from CAB members include Tiah Tomlin-Harris (top), Maggie Hawkins (middle left), D. Bing Turner (middle right) and Tonya Fairley (bottom).